The last word of the defendant Sergey Kuznetsov in Vyazemsky

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Sergey Kuznetsov in Vyazemsky

December 12, 2022

Khabarovsk Territory

From the courtroom

In his last word, the believer noted: "Jehovah's Witnesses are alien to hatred of people, because they follow the humane commandments of Jesus Christ." He declared his innocence, wondering: "I don't understand how a person who tries to live by God's standards can be considered a criminal?"

Transcript of the court session in the Vyazemsky District Court of the Khabarovsk Territory dated 12.12.2022 in the case 1-22/2022 (1-184/2021) on the accusation of Sergey Kuznetsov Alexandrovich of committing a crime under part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Kuznetsov Sergey Alexandrovich:

First of all, I want to start my last word with words of gratitude. Many thanks to all those who supported me throughout my judicial investigation. My dear family, friends and relatives, you are like fresh air for my soul poisoned by persecution. Your emails, as well as postcards and encouraging spiritual thoughts, kept my spirits up. This once again convinces me that the words recorded in Proverbs, chapter 17, verse 17 - "A true friend always loves, he is a brother who can be relied upon in trouble" - truly reflect your sincere love and support.

Dear employees of the Vyazemsky District Court, Your Honor, thank you for giving me the opportunity to recover mentally, namely, providing days off so that I could both rest and continue to prepare for the next court sessions. It was also very important for me that you attached important documents to the materials of the criminal case. And for this, I also express my sincere gratitude to you.

I also want to express my gratitude to your assistants Andrey Dmitrievich and Ekaterina Anatolyevna, as well as to the appointed defender Marina Nikolaevna. Their respect and kind attitude helped me to tune in positively to absolutely all court sessions.

I cannot but mention the State prosecutor. Anastasia Andreevna, sometimes your accusations were unfair, but it is not typical for Jehovah's Witnesses to hold grudges. Jehovah's Witnesses are a peaceful and friendly people.

[...] With regard to this trial, I would like to say the following. Your Honor, the state considers me an extremist and judges me for it. But after researching this issue, I realized that my conscience is absolutely clear before you and the state. I believe that calling me an extremist is a big mistake, since Jehovah's Witnesses do not hate people because they follow the humane commandments of Jesus Christ.

The more than 100-year history of this religion proves the absence of extremism in the views of its adherents. Jehovah's Witnesses never take up arms. In Germany, they refused to serve in the Wehrmacht units at the cost of their own freedom, and even their lives. In the USSR, the Witnesses, being subjected to severe persecution, did not hate their persecutors.

Now Jehovah's Witnesses are a multinational brotherhood that has proven its ability to overcome the prejudices that divide people. Communities of this religion operate freely in more than 200 countries. They are all united by one Bible-based creed. Millions of Jehovah's Witnesses around the world are concerned about the baseless accusations against their Russian co-religionists.

Russian human rights experts condemn the application of the law on extremism against Jehovah's Witnesses. The Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation noted in his 2013 report: "The problem of imperfection of the so-called "anti-extremist" legislation remains acute. The vague formulation of the basic concept of "extremism" itself becomes even more blurred when the definition of "religious" is added to it. Even religious scholars cannot yet decide what exactly to consider "religious extremism". But this "rubber" concept is easily operated by other law enforcement and judicial authorities on the ground, putting their own subjective attitude to a particular denomination into it."

The international community condemns the application of the law on extremism to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. The UN Human Rights Committee has repeatedly expressed concern that in Russia the law on extremism is "directed, in particular, against Jehovah's Witnesses."

Once upon a time, the Apostle Paul (my favorite biblical character, one of Jesus' disciples) He wrote to his co-religionists in Colossus: "So, as God's chosen, holy and beloved by God, put on deep compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Put up with each other's shortcomings and generously forgive each other, even if you have reasons for resentment. As Jehovah has generously forgiven you, so forgive you. And in addition to all this, put on love, because love unites" (Colossians 3:12-14). Your Honor, note that in Paul's words there is no hint that he called Christians to religious, national or other discord, as well as to use violence against those who do not share their beliefs or violate their rights and freedoms. Pavel's words had nothing to do with such a concept as "extremism". Christians have such wonderful qualities as compassion, love and kindness. Therefore, as a disciple of Christ, I try to develop them.

As a Jehovah's Witness, I want to honor God and the Creator of all things. It is also an honor for me to be called a Christian, and I strive to imitate Jesus Christ. I try to take time regularly to help people learn about the Bible and the Kingdom of God. And I do it completely free of charge and do not involve anyone anywhere, although the decree says the opposite. If a person is sincerely interested in the spiritual, then why not share with him what I know from the Bible?

[...] At the very beginning of the trial, I stated that I did not understand the essence of my accusation: I did not understand how my actions could be regarded as criminal. If you look at it from a legal point of view, I used the right to profess my religion, and this right is guaranteed by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. But the prosecution considered that in this way I was carrying out extremist activities. In fact, I was accused of an offense, thereby violating my rights to freedom of religion. It turns out that due to the incorrect interpretation of the decree of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated April 20, 2017, in our country, a person can be declared an extremist only because he believes in God.

But the state prosecutor may object and say that I am being accused not for believing in God, but for continuing the activities of the Religious Organization "Management Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" and the local religious organization (MRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses in Khabarovsk. And I will say that this is absolutely not true and explain why. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation banned the above-mentioned legal entities and their activities, and not the religion of individuals themselves. That is, at the moment, the Supreme Court does not force Jehovah's Witnesses to renounce their views and creeds, as well as religious activities as individuals. I believe that both the investigation and the prosecution are misleading the court by mixing my personal religious activities with the activities of prohibited legal entities.

I have never been a member, much less a founder, of any legal entities, including the Management Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and the MRO. There is not a single document confirming the opposite. [...] In addition, the ECHR Resolution of 06/07/2022 in the case of the Jehovah's Witnesses "Taganrog and Others v. Russia" established violations of international law when deciding on the liquidation of all legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. In the operative part of this ruling, the ECHR decided that "the respondent State must take all necessary measures to stop the criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses."

According to statistics, 73% of the surveyed citizens in Russia are believers. Your Honor, I am one of those people and have believed in God since early childhood. Now, according to the investigation, I am a member of the Khabarovsk MRO of Jehovah's Witnesses and an employee of the Management Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. But I don't know anything about it myself. To be a Jehovah's Witness, it is not necessary to have membership in any religious organization. It follows from the indictment that the only proof of my guilt was that I profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Dear court, I do not understand how a person who tries to live by God's standards can be considered a criminal? I would like to remind you once again of my right, guaranteed by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, to profess my religion, have and spread religious and other beliefs and act in accordance with them.

I ask the court to acquit me. I also ask you to attach my last word to the case file.

Summary of the case

Region:

Khabarovsk Territory

Locality:

Vyazemsky

Criminal case number:

12107080001000024

Case initiated:

March 25, 2021

The current stage of the case:

The verdict has entered into force

Investigating:

The Federal Security Service of the Khabarovsk Territory

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (2)

Case number in court:

1-22/2022 (1-184/2021)

Court:

Vyazemsky District Court of the Khabarovsk Territory

Judge:

Ksenia Ostanina